We got older | Madwheeler

Friendships happen.

Max trudged her way to her first class, already late. "We have a new student everybody!" the nasally voice of her teacher shouted. Max's stomach flipped as all eyes turned to her. "Jane why don't you make yourself useful and show the new student around?" Jane. Max smiled widely at the brunette, hoping she'd remember the brief moments of bonding they'd had before Max was sent away. Unfortunately she was met with a dead stare. The girl whisked past her, motioning for Max to follow her out the classroom. "Jane! It's me Max!" Jane turned sharply on her heel. "What were you doing talking to Mike?" she demanded. Max stepped back, hands in the air. "Just finding a familiar face... that's all" she said slowly. "Well don't." Jane said lips pursed. Max nodded "I thought he was with Brittany anyways" she mumbled. Jane looked sharply at Max. "What made you think that?" Fuck... she forgot the girl had powers, she probably had supersonic hearing too. "I... um dunno, I just did." Jane looked pensively before springing into action. "Well Max! It's definitely been a while, so why don't you fill me in" the girl said linking arms with Max. The ginger, sighed "it's a long story" Jane grinned, "well then it's great that we have time!" Max smiled awkwardly, it's going to be a long first day.

Max's second class, thankfully had no familiar faces, well faces from the party at least. Turns out that Mrs Dawson's Geography class was more of a gossip hub. "Did you hear about Dwight and Rachel?" some kid whispered behind Max. "I heard that Brittany's mom got new car... and they did it in the back seat!" another announced. "What about Mike's mom? Word has it she's found a new boyfriend." This Max decided to listen in to, since her own stepbrother Billy was the one to start Mrs Wheeler's chain of 'new boyfriends.' "Ugh screw the mom, did you see how hot Mike looked today?" Max held back an urge to retch. "He always looks good, god I want to touch his hair so bad" What the fuck? Max thought to herself. She was beginning to get weirded out. "He looked at me in class today!" a girl squealed from Max's left. Max snorted. "Is there a problem, new girl?" Shit. Max turned around slowly, plastering a fake smile on her face, facing many sets of eyes. "No, there isn't" she said through her teeth. "Say... aren't you Max Mayfield?" a wide eyed girl asked. "Yeah?" Max replied. "Billy's sister right?" "step-sister" Max corrected. "You're also Lucas' ex?" Max scoffed "we were dating for like two weeks after the snowball, no relationships last at that age" The girls looked at her like she'd just grown a second head. "Uh... you're forgetting about Mike and Jane? They've been dating for ages!" they stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Max nodded "I see." This was getting awkward fast. Luckily Max was saved by the bell for lunch and she quickly darted out the classroom, away from the other students.

Lunch was another problem. At least four years ago she'd be able to sit with the party at their designated spot. But this was high school, and there apparently wasn't a party anymore. "Max!" a voice called out. Max glanced over to see Jane waving at her. Max smiled back at her, and made her way towards the table, ignoring the looming eyes from the lunch hall. "Hey" she greeted setting down her tray. "Hey Mike" she said looking over at the boy. He shot a small smile at her and waved with his free hand, the other wrapped solidly around Jane's waist. "Sup, I'm Bret" a muscular boy greeted, sticking a hand out to her. "Max" she replied, shaking his hand. "I'm Rachel" and "I'm Dwight" a pair greeted. "I'm Shane" a blonde boy said. Guess this is the group everyone gossips about. Mike wasn't kidding about being high school royalty, it felt straight out of a cliché. Max felt oddly out of place. "So how was your first day so far?" the boy, Shane asked. Max smiled politely, she hated sharing details. "It was okay, still adjusting" Shane nodded sympathetically "must suck having to do it all over again" he noted. Max frowned, "how do you know that?" she asked. Shane grinned "I used to share Mr Clarke's science with you." He informed. "Oh... sorry." "Nah it's cool, I was pretty quiet, science wasn't really my thing. Not like Mike" the boy said looking over at Mike. "Nerd" Bret taunted. "Fuck off" Mike teased, slapping Bret's meaty arm — he was clearly the jock of the group. "Where's Brit?" Abigail, the girl from earlier with the pigtails, asked placing her tray on the seat next to Jane. Jane stopped munching her apple for a while and looked at Max. "I don't know" the girl said resuming her previous activity. Well... this day just keeps getting awkward and weirder Max thought to herself.